1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus which performs reproduction and/or recording of a recording carrier such as a compact disc (hereinafter abbreviated as "CD").
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in vehicular audio equipment and the like, in reproducing a recorded content from a high-density recording carrier or medium such as a CD, a reproduction head is maintained in a floating state by suspending it by a spring to prevent the reproduction and recorded contents from being impaired by external vibration. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-362563 (1992) discloses mechanical deck for performing reproduction and/or recording of one of stored optical discs such as CDs. The deck is suspended by a spring with respect to an enclosure to be rendered in a floating state. When an optical disc is unloaded or the apparatus is not in use, the mechanical deck is locked-from both sides in the optical disc inserting/ejecting direction.
FIGS. 50A and 50B show a prior art vehicular autochanger apparatus which is provided in a vehicle compartment and can house a plurality of CDs. FIG. 50A is a simplified front sectional view and FIG. 50B is a simplified top sectional view. A magazine 3 can be inserted into and elected from an enclosure 2 of an autochanger apparatus 1 through an opening that is formed on the front side. The magazine 3 can house a plurality of CDs 4. Information recorded on one of the CDs 4 is optically reproduced with a pickup (hereinafter abbreviated as "PU") unit 5 while the CD is driven, i.e., rotated. Mounted on a rack 6, in the magazine 3 the PU unit 5 can advance toward and retreat from the position of a selected CD 4. The rack 6 is disposed at one side of the enclosure 2 so as not to obstruct insertion and election of the magazine 3 through the front opening of the enclosure 2. In the vehicular autochanger apparatus 1, to prevent external vibration from being exerted on the rack 6, a floating mechanism 7 is provided which renders the rack 6 in a resilient floating state with a spring.
To select one of the CDs 4 housed in the magazine 3 and set the one to the PU unit 5, a space in which the PU unit 5 can be inserted is needed at least on one surface side of each of the housed CDs 4. To select a CD 4 to be played back by inserting the PU unit 5 into the magazine 3, the entire magazine 3 needs to be elevated or lowered so that the intended CD 4 is at the same height as the PU unit 5. Further, where a space in which the PU unit 5 can be inserted is provided for every one of the plurality of CDs 4 housed in the magazine 3, the CD housing capacity decreases in number if the thickness of the magazine 3 is limited. In view of this, the magazine 3 is made dividable in the vertical direction, so that a space can be formed on only one side of a CD 4 to be played back with the PU unit 5. To effect such elevation/lowering and division of the magazine 3, an elevation/lowering and dividing mechanism 8 is provided at a side of the enclosure 2. An electronic circuit board 9 for processing information reproduced with the PU unit 5 and controlling the respective mechanisms of the autochanger apparatus 1 is disposed at a rear position of the chassis 2.
In an apparatus in which a CD 4 is inserted individually and then played back without providing a magazine 3 or the like as in the case of JP-A 4-362563, to insert a CD 4 from the outside and set it reliably so that it is opposed to the PC unit 5 in a floating state, a complex transport means is needed which can transfer the CD 4 from an insertion opening to the position opposed to the PC unit 5 in a floating state.